Have you noticed the tremendous number of sprinters and hurdlers emerging from the Cherrybrook athletics club in the last couple of years?

Mick Zisti is the name behind this wave of athletes. With the additional inspiration of the squad’s star athlete Michelle Jenneke, Zisti’s group have become one of the most dominate squads and clubs in junior sprinting and hurdling in Australia. Nearly every Australian team, from youth to senior, Zisti has placed an athlete on the team.

During the recent NSW 5000 metres community race you could hear one of the leading competitors Bronwyn Hager encouraging her opposition throughout the race. After the race we learned that Hager is a coach at the inner Sydney community club Woodstock Runners.

Did you know one of NSW’s leading distance runners over the last decade Angela Leadbeatter is also a coach? In this article you can read her views and approach to coaching, highlighting to us all what a great asset she is too our coaching ranks. She particularly notes the need to nurture the very young athlete, including limited training loads, cross training and rest periods

How many times have you heard an athlete say, I tried athletics at school, enjoyed it, then decided to join an athletics club. It is one of the most common pathways of athletes into our sport. Also as coaches, we know the impact of sport on young people. It can build and improve confidence, fitness, resilience, tolerance, sense of achievement, reward, patience, connection and engagement.

Coach achievements can often go unrecognised as they work in the background or at the training track. But one performance which must rate as one of the best-ever for Australia was Iryna Dvoskina’s coaching efforts in London – and the many hours, days and months leading up to the event. Canberra-based Dvoskina, coached two NSW and one WA athlete to great success at the Para-Athletics World Championships in London in July.

An interest to help people was all the spark RICHARD SARKIES needed to graduate from regular runner into coaching. A small group of athletes grew into a squad and club called ‘Hooked on Running’. Read about Richard’s development, motivation and philosophies as a coach and some practical advice to coaching colleagues.

Paul Laurendet is one of NSW’s finest middle-distance coaches. During his coaching career he coached national champions (Holt Hardy 1500m) and Commonwealth champions and Olympic medalists (Clinton Hill 4x400m relay) and assisted with the program for his wife, Jenny Laurendet, a Commonwealth Games 400m hurdles medallist. In this article Laurendet discusses adolescent development, from his wealth of experience as a coach and teacher for over 30 years.